Fried Egg BLT’s

BLT’s have been one of my favorite sandwiches for as long as I can remember. There is something so simple, yet so delicious, about them. Bacon cooked to extra crispy perfection. (I never order a BLT at a restaurant. The bacon is never cooked well enough for me.) Fresh tomato slices. Crunchy leaves of lettuce. And a recent addition – a fried egg on top. Cooked in the bacon fat of course!

Someone recently alerted me to the fact that BLT’s are mainly a summer sandwich. Personally, I could eat them any day of the year! While I do enjoy corn on the cob as a side, I could just as easily enjoy sauteéd mushrooms or steamed veggies.

Well, it is summer (finally) and when my husband, Evan, said, “Let’s have BLT’s this week,” I was delighted. He is one of those people who thinks of them as a summer sandwich and rarely, if ever, does he suggest I make them.

Start by opening a pound of bacon and laying each slice flat in your favorite skillet. Mine is an old, beat up non-stick pan that I’ve been cooking bacon in for years. Be sure to top the pan with a splatter screen to help contain splashing grease. Turn the heat on low. Yes, low. I like to cook my bacon nice and slow. This gives it a wonderful crunchy and crispy texture. No floppy bacon in this house! From start to finish, I end up cooking bacon for about 40 minutes.

While your bacon is cooking, clean and slice your lettuce and tomato. Cut off the tough stems of your lettuce, then clean and dry each piece. You can use a salad spinner or a towel to pat dry the leaves.

Next, clean your tomato and cut it into thin slices. I like to use my Kuhn Rikon ceramic knife to slice tomatoes because it is super sharp and allows me to get the thinnest slices.

Rotate the bacon in the pan as it cooks so that every strip browns evenly.

Once cooked to your liking, remove the bacon from your pan and set it aside on some paper towel to absorb any excess oil. I also add a layer of paper towel on top of the bacon and gently press down to capture more oil.

Pour the oil remaining in your pan into a jar or trash receptacle (never down the drain!). There should still be a nice coating of grease on the bottom of your pan, along with bits and pieces of cooked bacon.

Time to fry those eggs! Crack each egg and fry until the egg white is cooked through, but the yolk is still runny.

All that’s left is to assemble your sandwich. One slice of bread on the bottom, smothered in about a tablespoon of mayo. Add your lettuce, tomato, bacon slices, and last, but not least, your egg. Top it with another slice of bread with mayo. If you want to make your sandwich even more crispy, you can use toasted bread. Serve with your favorite sides of the season and enjoy!

Sandwiches, Pork, Bacon